Into the Light
by opheliapain19
Summary: Anakin is looming closer everyday now towards the Dark side, and yet he cannot let go of the one woman he loves, Padme. *Based right after AOTC*
1. To Be Free

The following morning when she woke up, Padme walked quietly along the palaces dreary hallways to Anakins courters. The sun hadn't fully come up yet and most of her servants were still asleep. She just had to see Anakin. After three months of him being so far from her, the knowledge he was so near was intoxicating. It excited her very soul that she could be with him. But something was wrong, she felt as if she were being followed. Quickly, she turned to catch the person but she saw nothing but an empty hallway. So she continued to approach Anakins room, conscious of the trouble she could get in. But before she even had the chance to knock on his door, Anakin was already opening it up. He led her in and the two hugged each other.   
  
"Did you sleep well?" Padme asked, remembering what Obi Wan had told her about him. He said Anakin has not slept well and that him being with friends might cheer him up. Padme was most grateful to Obi Wan for this gesture. Her sleep had been interrupted as well with nightmares and frightful thoughts.  
  
"How could I," Anakin said with a quick kiss on her nose,"when I know you are near me?" Padme's face drew Anakins attention immediatly. She was thinking about the two of them again and about them not being able to show affection for each other too much, for fear they'll be found out.  
  
"Anakin..." she began with a sob but he just held her in his arms and chuckled. He held her so carefully, as if he were afraid to squeeze her too tightly, afraid to hurt the baby. Padme sighed, deeply and inhaled all of the feelings Anakin made her feel. As it drew back down her throat, the rest of the room just barely disapeared. He began to tell her that he used to have dreams that the two of them someday just ranaway and lived peacefully together with no worries. He told her that it was dreams like these that kept him sane. Padme laughed, but just barely.  
  
"Why don't you still dream like that?" Padme asked, wondering why his hopeful dreams so suddenly ended.   
  
"Because it sorta came true, now didn't it?" he asked her. Padme felt so scared all the time. Afraid someone would find out the condition she was in or find out what Anakin and her were doing. Her maidens never asked questions although they always wore the expression on their faces everytime Anakin and her passed by.   
  
"Oh, don't you ever worry about anything, Anakin?" she asked him, feeling very jealous of his happy-go-lucky attitude. Deep within him he had to be at the least worried. But then again, Jedis aren't afraid of anything. And worrying, such as she was doing, only got Jedi's in trouble. But his answer startled Padme.  
  
"I worry for you," he said, leading her outside where the air was warm and fragrant. "I worry for our future." Anakin touched Padme's stomach gently and laid his head lightly on her shoulder. Padme wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek.  
  
"I love you, Anakin Skywalker..." she whispered. His breathing near her ear was quieting, calming her very nerves. As their two heads arose, they both stared off into the arising sun, ignoring every worry and focusing on what they had at that moment.   
  
"Are you hungry?" Anakin asked her. Padme smiled and the two left the balcony. He was so selfless, always thinking of others. She remembered his face when he had been having nightmares about his mother. His mandate was to protect Padme but his heart was torn between the two. How could she not allow him to help his mother? Although, the outcome was not as happy as Padme had hoped it to be, Anakin still fufilled his duty. That was what made Padme fall in love with him. The realization that her Annie did grow up. She looked into his eyes and tried smiling. Anakin grabbed Padme's hand and squeezed it.   
  
"Whatever happens," he began as he stopped her in the middle of the room, "I will always love you." Padme couldn't breathe for a moment. What did he mean 'whatever happens'? Was something going to happen? And just before she could ask him what, he gave her an apathetic stare and then moved slowly towards the door.  
  
"What? Whats going on?" Padme asked. Anakin took her by the hand and told her to pretend she was asleep. Padme, afraid, did what he said without questions. After pulling the covers over her, Anakin hid behind the bed curtains, watching the door in the corner of his eye. Then he closed his eyes. She could hear the door knob turning. Padme realized then that somebody was coming into Anakins bedroom. But why? Quickly, she shut her eyes again and allowed Anakin to handle the situation, whatever it was. Her heart was beating with every footstep of the intruder but was not worried that Anakin couldn't handle it. She had seen him do more miraculous things before and she never doubted his powers. Suddenly, the man was right next to her. She could taste his stench in her mouth and hear his heavy breaths as he got nearer and nearer. But he did not get too close before Anakin leapt out from behind the curtains and attacked the man. Padme's eyes popped open and on the floor was the intruder, dismembered and partially dead. Anakin looked at Padme, eyes glazed over. His arm reached out for her and the two ran out of the room at a fast pace.   
  
"Anakin, wait!" Padme breathed fast and ran into the sitting room. Anakin stopped and looked at her, worried. She must have said it like she could not go any further because he still appeared concern. But that wasn't why she stopped him. Above the mantle was a long sive. Quickly, she took it down and threw a steady glare at Anakin.  
  
"You know how to handle that?" he asked her, set back. She looked at him with a curious grin and shrugged. Anakin shook his head in awe of her courage. He always seemed so pleased of how brave she could be. He once again took her hand and the two ran outside. Their were two other men on boats that Padme did not recognize.  
  
"What do they want?" she asked him, breathlessly. Anakin turned her towards him and explained what he wanted her to do. First she was going to hide then wait until he makes a distraction. At that point, she was to make a run for it. Padme set the sive down on the ground and looked Anakin in the eyes, questioning his plan.  
  
"Where should I run? There might be more of them." she argued. Anakin shook his head and told her to just do it. Padme was hesitant but assured herself that Anakin knew what he was doing. So, she found a place to hide where she could see exactly what Anakin was doing. She could see him jump at least ten feet down, onto the boarding dock. She saw him stumble alittle on account of his broken leg. Still, to protect Padme and his unborn child, he did whatever was necessary. His light saber went up and the other men scattered, looking for something to fight back with. This must have been the distraction he was talking about, so she ran. But still she couldn't figure out where she should go. So she ran back inside. The twisting corners of her palace were enough to get anybody confused so she made sure that she went the deepest she could into it. At last, she reached the main entrance of the palace. Outside was the Delta-7, Obi Wan's ship. But what was Obi Wan doing here? She went back inside and began calling his name, heading around corner after corner.   
  
"Obi Wan!" she called. A hand came out of nowhere, startling Padme. A calm voice answered and she turned around, coming face to face with Obi Wan. She greeted him with an anxious hug and he hurried her out of the palace. Padme quietly asked Obi-Wan if he knew what was going on. Obi Wan used his good-natured sarcasm to calm her and ordered her to stay in the Delta-7 while he went to see to Anakin. Padme explained that there were only two other men that she saw. Obi Wan glared at the palace, as if he was searching through it with his mind.  
  
"No, theres more." he replied, "I'll be back, Padme. Just stay in the ship." And so he ran around the side of the palace, leaving Padme alone with the Delta-7, un-armed and frightened. Still, she had to wonder why a man would enter the chambers of a Jedi. Either he wasn't all to bright or there had actually been someone following her in that hallway. And if there was, Anakin was going to be sore with her for being so careless. To hide, Padme slunk down in the front seat and waited for the two of them to come back to her, ashamed and fearful.  
  
Obi-Wan found Anakin a few minutes later on the dock, still battling one last man fiercly. Finally, he forced the man off the dock and into the sea. Obi-Wan approached him slowly, retracted his light saber and called him over. Anakin looked shocked to see him but ran to his side.  
  
"I think these men are trying to kill Padme, Master." he told Obi Wan breathlessly, "We need to find her." Obi Wan explained that Padme was waiting in the Delta-7 for the two of them to return. Anakin told Obi Wan about the man entering Padme's courters. Then hesitantly told him that he took care of it.  
  
"Your senses are more attuned than I thought, my padawan. To be able to feel a man's presence that far away?" Obi Wan replied suspiciously. Anakin nodded and continued beside his Master with a faraway look in his eyes.   
  
"Yes, Master." Anakin replied. His limping was worse than usual so Obi Wan asked if he needed any help. Anakin accepted and Obi Wan helped him walk back to the ship, allowing him to lean against Obi Wan's shoulder. Then Anakin began saying he believes that these men are the same ones ordered to kill Padme's father 3 months ago. Obi Wan agreed with his apprentice but was still curious of how he sensed the mans presence all the way on the other side of the palace. Especially when the body he had found was in Anakins chamber. Just before he ran into Padme, he sensed trouble and went to warn Anakin. But he was not there, just a dead body of a man. There was more than Anakin was telling Obi Wan and he was certain on finding out exactly what. The two came out from behind the side of the palace and walked over to the Delta-7. Padme came out from behind the seat and exhaled deeply, relieved of their presence.  
  
"I thought you were those men again." Padme explained then hopped out of the ship. Obi Wan ordered Anakin to get his ship and to follow Padme and him back to Corascant. Anakin, seemingly nervous, agreed and limped over to his ship in the nearby ship lodge several feet away. Padme got back into the Delta-7 and Obi Wan asked her where she was when the man attacked her.  
  
"I was asleep in my room." Padme said calmly. Obi Wan now knew she was lying but did not say a word for everything would come out in time. And although he was upset he was being lied to, there may be a very good explanation for it. Then again, there could be a very bad explanation too. After waiting for Anakin to get his ship in the air, Obi Wan set course for Corascant and flew off.   
  
"I'm sorry Anakin's visit was cut short, Padme." Obi Wan said, "But he's got very important business to do. You understand though." Padme nodded and rolled over in her seat. Sighing, she fell asleep. Obi Wan had always had suspicions about Anakin and her but never believed they could be true. He always thought Anakin was a dedicated student to the Jedi order but alot of things recently have been decieving. But, still, he was jumping to conclusions not yet met. When the time comes, he will ask both Padme and Anakin if anything has happened between the two of them. But now was not that time. Now he had to find out why someone is trying to harm Padme. Naboo still had not joined the Sepertists but their queen may be bowing under the heavy pressure put there by her advisors. Padme still thinks differently on the subject and has opted her queen to trust her judgement. Many other planets are upset with the Naboo's hesitance to join and may be blaming Padme for such resistance. But ultimatly, it is the queens duty to join or not to join. So, the question remains, who is trying to harm Senetor Amidala? 


	2. Matters Left Well Alone

Anakin was still in pain from his fight with those men. Try as he did, they were worthy competitors. Exceptionally strong and keenly aware of every move he made. And had he not been injured, defeating them would have been much easier. But he had let his concern for Padme get in the way and for their child. He was far too attentive towards her safety than his own and that cost him a huge gash on his arm. His human arm. The other was a mechanical replica that was supposed to be just as good. But it wasn't half as good. He felt like part human, part machine.And because of Count Dooku, his Master had put him through endless trainings to get the agility back in that particular arm, against Anakin's persistant statements saying that he was just as good as he had been before the accident. Any how, Obi Wan did not notice his wound nor did Padme and he did not want them to know. He was angry how he was treated sometimes. Incapable and immature. He hated how Obi Wan would remind him that he wasn't as powerful as he knew that he was. The only time Anakin could hide from these remarks was when he was with Padme. With Padme, he could be himself and not worry about being perfect for his Master. But, he felt that thoughts like these on a day such as this, were improper. His wife could have very well been hurt today and here he was thinking about how ill-treated he was. Anakin turned off his auto-pilot and took ahold of the steering, annoyed with everything controlling him. There were always days when ObiWan seemed overly critical and harsh that Anakin would just get this overwhelming urge to rebel against rules. The rules forbid him to love his wife and to be with her and soon is when she would need him the most. If only he could have it both ways, he thought.  
  
As he followed Obi-Wan, he tried erasing the knowledge of Padme's condition from his mind. If Anakin could read Padme's mind then how easy would it be for Obi-Wan to read his? There could be no knowledge of this to anyone or Anakin would be no doubt severly punished by the Jedi Council. He wanted to be a Jedi, he wanted the power, he just didn't want to be controlled by everyone and everything. What was the point of having that much power and wasting it on tedious, senseless missions? But there was no time to think of things of this sort. There was never any time. Soon they arrived in Corascant at a private landing pad by the Supreme Chancellor's office. Anakin and Obi-Wan were to discuss the need of protection on both the Naboo queen and Senetor Amidala. With any fortune, Anakin would be placed to watch over Padme and Obi-Wan over the Queen. Padme was escorted out first and taken to another ship to her home in the city, while the two Jedi followed Captain Tanaka into the building. Anakin leaned over to Obi-Wan and quietly concurred a concern of his.  
  
"Will Padme be alright without supervision?" he asked his Master. Obi-Wan, without even giving Anakin a look, sarcastically replied that she doesn't require babysitting all the time. Anakin felt nervous hearing the word baby but quickly shunned the thought.  
  
"Of course, Master, I'm just looking out for her well-being." he responded. Obi-Wan nodded and the two stood at the Chancellor's door, waiting to be called in. When the Chancellor finally did acknoweledge the two in, he went straight to business. He advised that Obi-Wan protect the Queen while Anakin watched over Padme. Anakin held back his relief momentarily. He could not think about his feelings for Padme for they would betray him. Again, he quickened the thoughts away. After excusing Obi-Wan, he beckoned Anakin to stay a moment, to ask something of him. Anakin reluctantly went to the Chancellors side.  
  
"Yes, sir?" Anakin responded. The Chancellor began talking about Padme's gifted ability towards politics. Anakin agreed. Then the Chancellor mentioned something that took Anakin off guard.  
  
"Son, I know how you feel about our dear Senetor Amidala." Anakin began perspiring and realized he was actually afraid. Jedi were never allowed to be afraid. But the Chancellor placed his arm upon Anakin's shoulders and it seemed like all Anakin could think of was how he wanted that arm to disapear.  
  
"You do want to be a Jedi," he replied, deviously, "don't you?" Anakin wondered how the Supreme Chancellor came to know of Padme and his relationship. Out of all the people to know, the Chancellor? Anakin knew he was done for. Anakin did not answer the Chancellors last question, in regard to how obvious it was. Of course Anakin wanted to be a Jedi.   
  
"I could offer a certain amount of protection, if say, you did me a few favors. Then maybe I could just forget I ever knew a thing." This worried Anakin. What could a Jedi possibly do to for the Chancellor that his servants he had already, could not? But still he could not have Padme slandered or himself kicked out of the academy under such shameful circumstances. So he nodded solemnly in agreement.  
  
"Good," the Supreme Chancellor said with a smile, "I want you to kill Jedi Master Mace Windu." Anakins head lifted swiftly from his gaze at the floor.   
  
"Kill Master Windu?!" he exclaimed. The Chancellor squeezed his arm and dragged him away from the doors. Calling him an imbecile, he whispered that Master Windu had made an alliance with the Separtist and was using his high station at the academy to sway the Jedi councils ideas on getting involved in the war more.  
  
"You don't want a war, do you?" the Chancellor replied harshly. Anakin could barely believe his ears. Master Windu, a Separtist spy? Quickly, Anakin turned the Chancellor down. How could he kill the man that had saved him only three years ago? Saved Obi Wan and Padme? It was wrong and even if he was what the Chancellor said he was, he still could not kill him.   
  
"No, Chancellor, but what you ask of me is impossible." The Chancellor laughed and asked Anakin if he remembered that day he told him one day he would be the most powerful Jedi ever. Anakin did recall that day. Then the the Chancellor told him that day had come.   
  
"They are only holding you back, my son. You must do this to demonstrate your power. And, if ever you want to see you precious Padme again, you will do it." So many thoughts ran through Anakins head but only one answer came to mind. The only answer that seemed to remedy so many problems he had. An easy way out.  
  
"Yes. I will do it." The Supreme Chancellor gave an incredulous grin and stared at Anakin in a very unusual way. Anakin could not understand how he knew about Padme nor why he ever accepted to kill Master Jedi Windu. The Chancellor patted Anakin on the back and led him out the door.  
  
"I will send you my plans. Have a pleasant stay in Corascant, my son." A pleasant stay will it be, indeed. Obi Wan met back up with Anakin as he left the office. He looked curious and Anakin was feeling rather nervous of the burden he beared.   
  
"So, what did the Chancellor want?" Obi Wan hesitantly asked after a five minute wait. Anakin quickly made up an excuse about him wanting him to be more cafeful than he was the last time he was to protect Padme. Obi Wan scoffed.  
  
"Well, then, he beat me to it, didn't he?" Obi Wan chuckled to himself. Anakin gave him a sideways glare and continued walking to his ship.   
  
"We should leave immediatly then, right, Master?" Anakin asked, annoyed. Obi Wan stopped and layed his hand over Anakins shoulders. Obi Wan was trying to make up for being so harsh on him all those times recently by trying to be his best friend but Anakin had no intentions on accepting him back. He was his Master; he was holding him back; and he was not in the mood right now to be anybodys pal.  
  
"I know your upset your visit was cut short." he said, looking Anakin in the eyes, " But I'm sure you'll be seeing Padme again soon, right?" Obi Wan added, hinting around something Anakin couldn't understand. Did he know too?   
  
"I'm not upset, Master. Just tired. Thats all." he said. Obi Wan nodded and the two left in their seperate ships. Too many people knew. One too many.  
  
  
  
Padme was taken back to new courters, where the atmosphere was not quite adjusted to the rest of the abode. Corde' was in the opposite room from Padme, folding some old dresses of Padme's into suitcases and she realized she was getting shipped off somewhere again. Padme entered the room to talk to her when everything just went blurry. Corde came to her side before she fell, but Padme had fainted. When she woke up, she was lying in her bed, with a doctor sitting next to her.   
  
"Good evening, Senetor Amidala," he said cheerfully, "how do you feel?" Padme sat up slowly and looked around confused, trying to remember how she ended up in her bedroom. Corde was in the corner, along with Anakin and ObiWan. Captain Typho was in the other room, Padme could hear him, and he was talking about safety measures that were to be taken. He sounded angry.   
  
"I feel like I was knocked down by a Bantha," Padme joked, "but I'll survive." Anakin wasn't even able to look at her, Obi Wan was nearby and his thougts would be readily heard. But even so, she heard this, 'I'm here'. She smiled lightly at him then turned to the doctor.   
  
"Doctor," she asked hiding her nerves, "have you found the cause of why I fainted?" The doctor smiled but before he could say anything, Captain Typho strode towards the two Jedis and whispered in their ear. Obi Wan looked shocked and Anakin the same.   
  
"What has happened?" Padme interrupted. The Captain looked at Padme and sighed.   
  
"Senetor, your Queen was murdered this morning, along with the members of her staff." Padme felt a piece of herself die, and everything began to spin again, only this time she kept a stoic face. She turned aside her sheets, realizing what she needed to do.   
  
"Captain," she said, with professional seriousness, "I will be needing a transport to Naboo immediatly." Captain Typho didn't even move, he almost looked like a statue. He said that Naboo was in revolt and that it would not be safe for her there.   
  
"These are my people, Captain!" she shouted, upset and continued, "I am the last hope for them. Get me a transport or I will find one myself." The Captain still denied it to her. How could she be denied the right to help her planet? She was the last leader left for them and was intent on doing what she was elected for. To serve her people. As an ex-Queen of Naboo, and a well-liked one, certainly they would listen to her pleas for peace and be comforted with her presence. Anakin was staring at her and Padme knew what she could do.   
  
"Captain, you have left me no choice. I choose transport with Jedi Knight Skywalker." Padme strode over and pulled Anakin from the crowd. Everyone parted from the two as they made their way out. Obi Wan chased them out and stopped them in the hallway. Anakin looked very un-comfortable and that disturbed Padme very much. If Anakin was not sure with her decision, who would back her up?  
  
"Padme, " Obi Wan said, very seriously, "The Chancellor has mandated Anakin to protect you. It would be against his and your best interests to go to Naboo so soon with the revolt going on there." Padme was hesistant to be rational. It seemed ever since she had become pregnant, nothing she did was very rational. But, she felt so strongly about going to Naboo and comforting her people, it felt right. Anakin agreed with Obi Wan and suggested an alternative means of getting through to her people. But niether Obi Wan nor Anakin could think of a different way to do it. Of course, her pregnancy clouded Anakin's decision. He did not want her to go anywhere she could possibly be hurt.   
  
"Master Kenobi, I need to be with my people." she pleaded. Obi Wan sighed and instructed the two to wait with any decisions until he returned from the Jedi council.  
  
"With any fortune, we will have a decision made in a couple hours." he said and then left the two. Padme looked into the eyes of her husband but the same worried expression was still worn on his face. Sometimes Padme questioned what he really was worried about. Getting caught or for her. Padme tore the thought from her mind. She asked him what was wrong but he refused to say anything near to what she figured was wrong. He complained that her choosing him to take her was not in their best interests. That it was a careless decision. But all the while, Padme felt almost like he was yelling at her.   
  
"I'm sorry, Anakin, I wasn't-" Anakin looked at her, eyes glaring. That was what scared her the most.  
  
"Wasn't thinking?" he snapped. Padme caught sight of somebody leaving their courters down the hall and blushed. She hated constantly worrying about things. Thats what she had been doing before she had fainted today. Worrying about being watched over by someone other than Anakin for the next couple months. Soon, she would show and then her secret would be out. She wished none of this had happened right now, right when it was meaningless to stop what was happening to her. A part of her blamed Anakin but she would never tell him. She realized that things were tough for him too and that he needed no extra stress. But he wasn't the one pregnant. She was. Padme's eyes filled with tears and she began to walk away, not wanting Anakin to follow.  
  
"Padme, wait-" he said and trailed after he as she expected. Padme stopped and waited for the elevator.  
  
"Please, don't follow me." The last she saw of Anakin that night was as the elevator doors closed on his face, staring with hopelessness and despair. But the concern for her never left. 


End file.
